


Made Ben sad: -100/10 (don't tell him I said that)

by EnchantressEmily



Category: Widdershins (Webcomic)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 01:11:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19162759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnchantressEmily/pseuds/EnchantressEmily
Summary: Ben is not having a good day, and a difficult client only makes it worse - until he gets some support from an unexpected source.





	Made Ben sad: -100/10 (don't tell him I said that)

**Author's Note:**

> The title comes from this Q&A page where Mal was rating the Sins: https://widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/qa-2

Ben sat at his desk, concentrating fixedly on the paperwork in front of him in an attempt to block out everything else. He didn’t know if it was the heavy, humid weather, the letter he had gotten from his parents yesterday, or the way O’Malley seemed to be making a special effort to get on his nerves, but he just couldn’t cope with the world today. He felt raw, as if the slightest provocation would make him either break down or bite someone’s head off. 

Wolfe, perhaps noticing how close Ben was to snapping, had drawn O’Malley into the kitchen to help cook lunch, so at least he had a few minutes to himself. He tried to ignore the sound of voices and clattering pots from the next room and pretend that he was alone in the house, or better yet, that it was still last year, before O’Malley and Wolfe moved in. He had lived alone since graduating from university, and he had grown to like it: no need to deal with other people and their noise and clutter, and no one’s expectations to live up to but his own. Adjusting to having two strong personalities constantly around hadn’t been easy. 

Eventually the solitude and the orderly columns of numbers on the page began to soothe Ben’s frayed nerves; he sat up a little straighter in his chair, his hunched shoulders lowering. 

Then there was a knock at the door.

Ben stiffened again immediately; the last thing he felt able to do right now was deal with a client. But they needed the money, so he pulled himself forcibly together and got up to answer the door. 

The woman outside reminded him uncomfortably of Ms. Fairbairn even before she spoke. “I wish to consult the wizard who runs this business. Fetch him for me at once.”

It took all of Ben’s self-control to reply calmly. “I’m the wizard, ma’am. My name is Thackerey. What can I do for you?”

The woman looked down her nose at him. “You? Nonsense. Go and fetch the wizard; I need to speak to him about a malform, and I can’t waste time explaining myself to the office boy.”

Her tone was the final straw. Ben felt the prickle of impending tears, and he squeezed his eyes shut to force them back. He would not cry in front of a client, particularly not this one. “I – I assure you, m-ma’am – “ he began, trying and failing to keep his voice from wavering. 

The woman cut him off. “Are you deaf, boy? I told you to get the wizard!”

“Seems t’me ye’re the deaf one,” an unexpected voice said from behind Ben. “He’s told ye already he’s the wizard ‘ere, so why don’t ye listen?”

O’Malley and Wolfe had come out of the kitchen to see what was happening. O’Malley had his arms crossed, and he looked ready for a fight. 

“And who are you?” the woman demanded. “I was told this was a reputable business, but if it only employs reprobates and boys too slow to understand a simple request – “

Ben flinched, fighting back tears again.

O’Malley shook off Wolfe’s restraining hand and stalked up to the woman. “Right, tha’s it,” he said, jabbing a finger at her. “Ye c’n keep yer bloody buggerup, an’ I hope ye enjoy it. We’re through wi’ ye.” His Irish accent had thickened noticeably. 

The woman sputtered. “What? How dare you – “

Wolfe came over and gently but firmly took her arm, steering her out the door. She was a tall woman, but he was bigger. “I apologize for the language my friend has used, but I must agree with him,” he said. “We do not care to do business with someone who treats our employer in such a way. Good day to you.”

He closed the door behind her and turned to look at Ben. “Are you all right, my friend?”

“I – I think so.” Ben took off his glasses and rubbed the lenses with the handkerchief from his breast pocket, surreptitiously wiping his eyes in passing. “Thank you both. You shouldn’t have done that to a paying customer with our finances in the state they are,” he couldn’t help adding. “But thank you.”

O’Malley snorted. “We don’t need money from th’ likes of ‘er. I’m th’ only one that gets to talk t’ye like that.”

He didn’t, though, Ben reflected; for all O’Malley’s insults about his “duff degree”, he had never once called him “boy” or talked down to him. When O’Malley went after him, he did it on the same level.

“Do you wish to be alone now?” Wolfe asked. “Lunch is almost ready, but we could keep yours warm until you want it.”

Ben thought about it and found, to his surprise, that he was feeling better than he had all day. He shook his head. “No need. I’m fine.”

Wolfe glanced at O’Malley and raised a questioning eyebrow.

O’Malley gave Ben a long, searching look, then smiled slightly. “Aye,” he said. “He is.”


End file.
